Bandage compress and method of manufacture



Jan. 14, 1969 G. P. ST. CLAIR v BANDAGE COMPRESS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed Dec. '7. 1966 Patented Jan. 14, 196% 8 Claims This invention relates to a bandage compress and the novel method of manufacture, whereby these bandage compresses may be sterilized at the time of manufacture to be sold in sealed envelopes that retain their sterility, thereby saving considerable time and expense in hospitals and wherever bandage compresses are needed and used in any quantities, while at the same time insuring uniformly good results by reason of the definite assurance of the sterility of the bandage compress if the seal or envelope containing the same has not been broken.

A salient feature of this invention, which accounts for an appreciable saving in the cost of manufacture, is the elimination of expensive sewing and trimming operations by having the compress pad or dressing cemented automatically to the middle of the gauze strip with a thermoplastic adhesive, the adhesive becoming plastic in the heat of the sterilizing operation, while the steam that is also present at the same time makes tacky the glue on the flap on the glassine bag in which the bandage compress is packed preliminary to the sterilizing operation, so that when the bandage compresses come from the sterilizer they are ready for use and remain sterile so long as the seal or the envelope is not broken prior to the time of usage.

The invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view and FIG. 2 is an edgewise view, in more nearly compacted form, of a bandage compress consisting of the gauze strip, the compress pad or dressing at the middle of the accordion pleated strip, and the rectangular sheet of glassine material serving as the carrier for the thermoplastic adhesive film on the inner side thereof for cementing the compress pad to the gauze and glassine sheet during the sterilization process;

FIG. 3 shows the three parts of FIGS. 1 and 2 sufiiciently compacted to be ready for placing in the glassine envelope;

FIG. 4 illustrates the glassine envelope with the compacted bandage compress of FIG. 3 inserted partway therein;

FIG. 5 shows the finished product, namely, the sealed packaged bandage compress produced by folding the envelope of FIG. 4 along the line 11-12 shown in FIG. 4 after the bandage compress is entered therein all the way so as to enable effectively sealing the envelope, the band age compress having its pad or dressing cemented to the gauze under the heat of the sterilization process while the steam that is present at the same time renders tacky the glue on the inside of the flap of the envelope to effect the sealing of the envelope, and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the bandage compress as it appears when removed from the envelope and opened out ready for use.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

The bandage compress of my invention is indicated in dotted lines at 7 in FIG. 5 in a double sealed glassine envelope 8, the double seal resulting from the folding of the glassine envelope along the line ab in FIG. 4 well below the mouth of the envelope so that the top portion 9 at the mouth of the envelope is folded over before the flap end 10 is sealed in place by its glue coating 11,

which, as previously indicated, is rendered tacky by reason of the steam present in the sterilizing operation. The compress pad or dressing 12, in accordance with my invention, is cemented to the middle of the accordion pleated gauze strip 13 by the thermoplastic adhesive film 14 provided on the inner side of the rectangular sheet of glassine material 15 during the sterilization process while the bandage compress, in loosely assembled form but compacted to the extent indicated in FIG. 3, is disposed inside the glassine bag 8 with its flap folded for a double seal, as previously indicated. This bandage compress can be applied to a wound or incision in the usual Way but is protected against possible contamination by the glassine sheet serving as a sheath for the back of the pad or dressing 12. The pad or dressing 12 can be secured in the usual way to the arm or leg on which the wound or incision to be taken care of happens to be, using the tail portions 16 and 17 of the strip 13 on opposite sides of the pad or dressing 12, these being wrapped around the member in opposite directions in the usual way and the extremities fastened or tied together in any suitable manner.

With the old method of manufacture of a bandage compress the following steps were involved:

(1) Pleating the tail portions 16 and 17 of the gauze strip 13;

(2) Cutting and folding the compress pad or dressing 12;

(3) Spotting this compress pad 12 on the middle of the strip 13;

(4) Sewing the pad 12 to the middle portion of the strip 13 with the latter on top of the compress while the glassine sheet 14 that serves as a sanitary backing to take hold of the bandage compress and apply it cleanly to the wound is on top during the sewing operation;

(5) Clipping the threads at the front and back of each of the pads 12, bearing in mind that the seamstress in this sewing operation does a large number of these sewing operations, one after another in quantity production;

(6) Inserting each bandage compress in a glassine envelope, and

(7) Sterilizing the packaged bandage compresses, utilizing the steam in this sterilization operation to render tacky the glue on the flap of each envelope to seal the same.

With the new construction, using the thermo-plastic adhesive 14, steps 4 and 5 above are eliminated, and a cheaper and still much better product is obtained because in the third step of the above sequence where the compress is spotted on the middle of the gauze strip 13, the rectangular sheet of glassine paper 15 with the thermoplastic adhesive film 14 of Tex-seal (made by Plastex Process C0. of Maywood, NJ.) or its equivalent is placed on the opposite side of the gauze 13 from the pad 12, so that, in the final sterilization step, this plastic film 14 is activated to bond the pad 12 to the strip 13 without any need for the costly sewing and trimming operations, and the resulti g product is superior in every way. Of course, in this sterilization operation, where the heat present accounts for the bonding or cementing together of the pad 12 and strip 13, a certain amount of pressure is applied to a stack of these packaged bandage compresses, both to insure good bonding at 14 of each pad 12 with its related gauze strip 13 but also to insure the full adhesion of all of the flaps Ill on their related envelopes 3.

1n the use of these bandage compresses, they remaii sterile so long as the enclosing envelope isnt torn or the seal broken, so that is the only thing to be sure to check before using any of these bandage compresses. The envelopes 8 are of a fairly serviceable glassine material and the gummcd flaps 1 are of ample dimensions and, inasmuch as the envelopes are folded over at the mouth end, as described, to enable a good seal, there is no likelihood of a bandage compress once sterilized, losing its sterility. The backing paper 15, which is preferably, although, not necessarily, also of glassine material, like the envelope, serves a double function here; it is, firstly, the carrier for the thermo-plastic adhesive film 14 to cement or bond the pad 12 to the gauze strip 13 and the paper 15, and, secondly, a protective sheath for the pad 12 and gauze strip 13 in the final handling of the bandage compress in applying it to the patient to lessen the danger of infection at this all important point.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a bandage compress comprising an elongated strip of gauze-like material and a compress pad carried on the inner side of the strip at a point intermediate the ends thereof, the improvement which consists of a backing piece of impervious flexible material covering an area on the outer side of the strip behind the pad, said backing piece carrying an adhesive on its inner side whereby it is cemented to the strip and through the strip to the back of the pad, so as to secure the pad with the backing piece to the strip and obviate the necessity of otherwise securing the pad in place on the strip, while the backing piece serves as a sheath protecting the pad against contamination in the handling of the bandage compress at the time of its being used.

2. A bandage compress as set forth in claim 1 wherein the adhesive on the backing piece is of thermoplastic material adapted to be rendered plastic at temperatures reached in the sterilization of the bandage compresses, whereby in the presence of some compacting pressure applied to the assembly during sterilization the three parts named will be cemented together.

3. A bandage compress as set forth in claim 2 including an envelope to contain the bandage compress, the same having a closure flap with adhesive on its inner side that is also adapted to be rendered plastic under the conditions prevailing in the sterilizer in the sterilization of the bandage compresses, whereby in the presence of some compacting pressure applied to the assembly and envelope during sterilization the flap will be sealed.

4. A bandage compress as set forth in claim 2 including an envelope to contain the bandage compress, the same having a closure flap with adhesive that is moisture activated on its inner side and rendered tacky in the presence of steam present in the sterilizer in the sterilization of the bandage compresses, whereby in the presence of some compacting pressure applied to the assembly and envelope during sterilization the flap will be sealed.

5. A bandage compress as set forth in claim 2 including an envelope to contain the bandage compress, the same having a closure flap with adhesive on its inner side that is also adapted to be rendered plastic under the conditions prevailing in the sterilizer in the sterilization of the bandage compresses, whereby in the presence of some compacting pressure applied to the assembly and envelope during sterilization the flap will be sealed, the envelope having the flap or month end thereof folded preliminary to the sterilization operation to insure a full seal.

6. A bandage compress as set forth in claim 2 including an envelope to contain the bandage compress, the same having a closure flap with adhesive that is moisture activated on its inner side and rendered tacky in the presence of steam present in the sterilizer in the sterilization of the bandage compresses, whereby in the presence of some compacting pressure applied to the assembly and envelope durin sterilization the flap will be sealed, the envelope having the flap or mouth end thereof folded preliminary to the sterilization operation to insure a full seal.

7. The method of manufacturing a sterilized packaged bandage compress which consists in placing in superimposed relation an elongated gauze-like strip with a compress pad on one face thereof intermediate the ends of the strip, and a piece of flexible backing material on the other face thereof having a thermo-plastic adhesive film on its inner face adapted to be rendered plastic in the presence of heat, accordion pleating the opposite end portions of the strip and compacting the same against the opposite sides of the folded pad and backing, placing the bandage compress so compacted in an envelope having a closure flap with adhesive on its inner side that is also adapted to be rendered plastic under the conditions prevailing in a sterilizer in the sterilization of a bandage compress, placing the bandage compress containing envelope in a sterilizer with the adhesive side of its flap held in abutment with the envelope, and subjecting the bandage compress to sterilization while maintaining the same and its envelope and flap under compacting pressure so that the thermo-plastic adhesive film on the backing is rendered plastic to cement the pad to the gauze strip and backing piece while the envelope flap is sealed also in the same operation.

8. The method of manufacturing a sterilized packaged bandage compress which consists in placing in superimposed relation an elongated gauze-like strip with a compress pad on one face thereof inter-mediate the ends of the strip, and a piece of flexible backing material on the other face thereof having a thermoplastic adhesive film on its inner face adapted to be rendered plastic in the presence of heat, accordion pleating the opposite end portions of the strip and compacting the same against the opposite sides of the folded pad and backing, placing the bandage compress so compacted in an envelope having a closure flap with moisture activated adhesive on its inner face adapted to be rendered tacky in the presence of steam in a sterilizer in the sterilization of a bandage compress, placing the bandage compress containing envelope in a sterilizer with the adhesive side of its flap held in abutment with the envelope, and subjecting the bandage compress to sterilization while maintaining the same and its envelope and flap under compacting pressure so that the thermoplastic adhesive film on the backing is rendered plastic to cement the pad to the gauze strip and backing piece while the envelope flap is sealed also in the sam operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,885,007 10/1932 Rosenblatt 128155 2,484,045 10/1949 Morgan 12-8156 2,836,178 5/1958 Barr 128l55 2,703,083 3/1955 Gross 128-157 ADELE M. EAGE'R, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

1. IN A BANDAGE COMPRESS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STRIP OF GAUZE-LIKE MATERIAL AND A COMPRESS PAD CARRIED ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE STRIP AT A POINT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH CONSISTS OF A BACKING PIECE OF IMPERVIOUS FLEXIBLE MATERIAL COVERING AN AREA ON THE OUTER SIDE OF THE STRIP BEHIND THE PAD, SAID BACKING PIECE CARRYING AN ADHESIVE ON ITS INNER SIDE WHEREBY IT IS CONNECTED TO THE STRIP AND THROUGH THE STRIP TO THE BACK OF THE PAD, SO AS TO SECURE THE PAD WITH THE BACKING PIECE TO THE STRIP AND OBVIATE THE NECESSITY OF OTHERWISE SECURING THE PAD IN PLACE ON THE STRIP, WHILE THE BACKING PIECE SERVES S A SHEATH PROTECTING THE PAD AGAINST CONTAMINATION IN THE HANDLINGG OF THE BANDAGE COMPRESS AT THE TIME OF ITS BEING USED. 